Morning Glory, Midnight Sun
by The Agent X
Summary: Go back through the journey of Raven's last trial. It ended here and will begin here as her friends stand helplessly by and watch... a little RobRaeCy


**Morning Glory, Midnight Sun**

By

**Agent X **

The mysterious supporter of pairs!

**A/N: **Hello hello! As you can probably guess, this is my first fic and whatnot… so… yeah. Also this is chaptered work, not a one-shot and it is written** backwards**, meaning this is the end of the story. Don't ask why.

**Disclaimer: **TEEN TITANS and all related characters and elements are copyrighted trademarks of DC COMICS.

* * *

They had me surrounded. Starfire to my left, Cyborg to my right and Robin ahead. All of their eyes followed me down 'till my feet softly touched the floor. There was a tingling sensation in my toes and I looked to find that the fabric of my shoes, up to my ankles, had turned white, and it was slowly rising.

Ignoring this I moved over to Starfire, and when I was close enough we placed our arms around each other. Warm water dripped onto my scalp and tickled as it fell. She was crying. And smiling.

"I am glad for you, my dear, dear friend." She whispered to me, "Truly, I am glad."

Looking up I turned and gave the taller girl a light kiss on her cheek. It was a thankyou, returning the favor for the seven she had so graciously given me. They had brought me luck. And although it needn't have been voiced, I told it anyway.

"Thankyou." I whispered to her. I took a step back and we lost contact, the places where her hands had been still oddly warm against my skin. In answer she tilted her head and smiled, green tears carving a golden pathway down her face.

I turned away from her and walked the few steps between over to Cyborg. Once I found myself close enough I levitated up a foot or so to gracefully wrap my arms around his neck. Briefly I wondered what Robin thought of being left to last, but the boy's mind was closed to me.

I felt two large hands support my body gently in response. And when I reached up to peck him on the cheek I could feel him shaking, so imperceptibly that only I could tell. Drawing back I stared him directly in the eyes before again placing my head on his shoulder and relying only on his support.

I still wonder if you can hug some one tight enough when you know it will be the last time.

He gently put me down.

The changing of my uniform from blue to white had reached my stomach and was still steadily progressing. Like the rising tide it was unstoppable… irreversible.

_Would someone move the moon?_

As before I turned away to approach Robin. With some less grace than with Cyborg my arms went 'round him. I was keenly aware as he slowly circled his arms back around me in response. The grip was tight, but comfortable and I squeezed solemnly back. I could sense that, deep inside, one of us didn't want to let go.

Tiredly I raised my head and lent to kiss him on the cheek, but he turned to meet me and my lips softly pressed on his. Cyborg turned away. I wondered whether Robin knew of the feelings of his friend. But he was Robin, of course he knew. I wondered if he cared.

Unfazed and unlingering, I drew back 'till I was again standing in the centre of them. My friends. To this day I cannot find any word comparable to that.

The moon-white colour had moved past my breasts and was now just below level with my shoulders. The fusion of light and dark was decreasing.

"So, Raven, tell us… how does it feel to experience emotions unabetted?" I stared back at Star, and the alien only smiled benignly at me.

"It's… beautiful." I breathed. _It's freedom, _my insides screamed, _It's me_. I felt something heavy touch my hand and looked down to find a saline droplet glittering back at me. Another drop fell and shattered upon my palm, and then another, until my vision was clouded and the tears were a constant warm stream down my face. Robin stepped forward, concern etched into his features.

"Raven, what's wrong?" He began to reach out, but then stopped short. At first I wondered why, but then I realised it had been because I was smiling. No… I was laughing. My face a mixture of mirth and sorrow.

"It was worth it." I said as a hand reached to wipe my brimming eyes. I glanced at Cyborg and he smiled. For me. "It was worth it." I told him.

"What was worth it?" questioned Robin, looking curiously between Starfire, Cyborg and me. We all knew something he didn't.

And I smiled as I told him, "Leaving."

His mask widened.

"What? Raven, you don't have to go. We're all returning home. What about the Tower? The Town? Beastboy? … us?" Sometimes I still wonder what he meant by that, but the time to respond is gone.

"I have no choice Robin. I am half demon and half human. With the defeat of my father I destroyed half of myself." My costume was an inch off entirely white. Only the peak of the hood I had drawn up remained. "I have no more purpose, no more substance. I depended upon Trigon. Created by him and to destroy him. It is fulfilled."

The change was complete, and with it the black portal of my powers had opened up beneath me. I glanced at Starfire, smiling crookedly, her lovely face still trickling tears where mine had stopped.

Ankle deep in oblivion.

I watched Cyborg, his dark eyes glued to my face and trying to memorise my features. A tear traced out of his human eye and I longed to wipe it away.

Waist deep in abyss.

Robin had continued to watch, both mesmerised and horrified as I sank away. Truthfully I had helped keep him in that state of shock. He could not interfere, but he fought against it nonetheless.

"No… Raven, no!"

Some odd emotional sense told me I should cry, and yet I didn't. Despair was one emotion I had dealt with too long. I raised one hand high, focusing my powers and my will to slow the rate of descent. Descent.

I had to say something, so I said the truth. The words came out, from my breath, my mouth and my voice – but they were wielded like a weapon.

"Goodbye and Thankyou. I love you. I love you all."

Was it just me or did the sobbing seem louder? My last glimpse was of Starfire's golden skin, Cyborg's troubled gaze and Robin shaking against the constraints I had placed on him, but as soon as my head was submersed he was free.

Darting forward he grabbed hold of the hand I had raised, still above the surface and clothed with a white cuff.


End file.
